Help on ideas for this mold

[cabezaverde]

I picked this one up on ebay. These photos aren't half bad.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=71118&item=150000038829



Got it today, and the reamed cavity has 2 pretty good punches. One pin is for a wicked GC hollowpoint, which might work great in my .357 pistol. The other is for a spire point type bullet that looks like it could go out to about 300 grains. I am wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to improve on the pin insertion and holding set up. Maybe Buckshot, master machinist ?

Currently, it looks like the body of the set screw swings under the washer on the bottom to set the pin length, and of course that sets the bullet length. Not too bad, but a little crude.

Any improvement ideas out there.

[cigg52]

What are those two L shape things in front of the bullets ?

[cabezaverde]

What are those two L shape things in front of the bullets ?

Those are the punches for the removable nose pins. The wires are handles. Precisely the setup I am trying to refine, along with the methodology for inserting the pins. They (the pins) are nicely made.

[Buckshot]

............Those nose punches are way too massive and will suck heat and dissipate it faster then they need to. The handles look a bit, ah, ahem, 'unweildy' I suppose :-). The nose punches don't have to be full diameter for that length. I'd turn then down so the full diameter was only 3/8" long, and reduce the shaft below it to 1/4" max OD and put a wooden knob on it.

If the nose punch at 3/8" long full OD flops in the reamed hole, you'd need to make new ones anyway!

Then you'd have to make 2 new depth setting collars to fit the smaller shaft, and for sure use smaller bolts to turn under that washer. OR (I can't tell from the photos) you might be able to grind a flat on the collar to clear the washer when you insert the nose punches, and then turn the knob so the collar itself rotates under the washer.

Of course the collars would need to be the right length to fit bewteen the blocks and the washer. That way you can do away with those bolts entirely.

.................Buckshot

[njmj]

Cabezaverde,
I like Buckshots idea of turning the pins down ro reduce heat dissapation. What I don't like is all the other work that would cause. Would it be just as effective to cut a groove or a couple grooves to reduce heat conductivity and still allow alignment of the nose plug and use of the collars? njmj

[cabezaverde]

Please keep the ideas coming. The guy included some bullets cast from the mold and they look nice. I am excited about getting this thing rolling.

[cabezaverde]

No worry about the wood handles for the pins getting to hot and burning up?

[cabezaverde]

Buckshot,

Without the wire handles, would the pins really pull away any more heat than the body of the mold if it was still there?

[Buckshot]

Buckshot,

Without the wire handles, would the pins really pull away any more heat than the body of the mold if it was still there?

Probably not. It's just that the pins are more massive then they need to be. Obviously it works the way it is, and may work just fine. My thinking is that a bit of tinkering would make it work better, easier to use and manipulate, and not be so cumbersome.

It's kind of like having a shovel with a rake on the other end of the handle. Possibly usefull but cumbersome.

"...........No worry about the wood handles for the pins getting to hot and burning up?"

Nope. I don't know of any removeable HP-HB core pins that DON'T have a wooden handle.

" What I don't like is all the other work that would cause. Would it be just as effective to cut a groove or a couple grooves to reduce heat conductivity and still allow alignment of the nose plug and use of the collars?"

Actually without a lathe, probably any other means would be tough and problematic, and since it works as is, not really worthwhile. Since I have no idea what folks own in the way of equipment or have at their disposal. all I can do is suggest is what I might do.

.................Buckshot